Expectations
by tsunderetoast
Summary: Everyone has expectations for each other, some are more unattainable than others.


The bass thumped inside the chests of hedonistic dancers and drinkers. The beats coercing their bodies to sway in sync. Even passive viewers were lightly nodding their heads to the rhythm with red cups in their hands. Strangers suddenly became friends and lovers over the course of their intoxication. Nonsensical music and incoherent shouting mixed together, creating the environment of a proper house party. Strobe lights grazed across blackout drunks, flirtatious couples grinding on the dance floor, and lone orbiters quietly sitting against the wall in the darkened room. These loners usually resorted to mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds as there is no reason for conversation with the people around them. No one knows why most of them are there, most of them tend to be shut-ins and loners. So the others were confused as to why the '_King Of Games'_ was part of these miserable looking bunch leaning against walls or hiding in other rooms. Unsurprisingly, to those who knew him personally, Yugi was not one for loud parties like this. Never really his scene, or ideal Friday night. In all honesty, he would rather be home playing a game with friends. However, he really couldn't complain. He was here to support one of his friends, after all. Unfortunately, they got separated in the mix of partygoers, leaving Yugi alone and awkward. Meanwhile, across the penthouse, the friend, the devilish Duke Devlin, was 'networking'. 'Networking' usually meant schmoozing with high-ranking duelists and playfully entertaining the women who would flirt with him. Duke enjoyed meeting and getting to know new people, even if he had to strain himself by yelling over the speaker to do so. He thrived in this kind of environment, it was one of the moments where he felt truly alive.

"Heyyo, Devin, right? Fancy seeing your mug around here." a somewhat intoxicated partygoer slurred. The dice king smirked playfully in response.

"Fancy seeing you too..." He paused for a moment, scanning the other's face, searching for its name. He came up blank. "...man!" he bluffed.

The young man burped before a sloppy grin spread about his face. "How's life as a make maker, very profitable, I bet!" He lowly giggled. In all honesty, his salary was nothing to scoff at. While Duke didn't care about money, it was nice to have.

"Say, old friend…" A mischievous glint shined in the man's eyes. He raised up his beer bottle and shook it a little. A small 'pitter-patter' sound was produced. Duke knew exactly where this was going.

"Care to fill her up for me?" he sighed with no sign of shame. Quick, he had to turn this around.

"Oh, am I just a beer tap to you?" Duke scoffed half-jokingly. Emphasize on half.

"Come on man, we're old mates…"

"Oh bore off!" The girl who had been previously flirting with Duke had now spoken up. In the process, she had wrapped her arms around his, pressing herself into his mussels. "Come on Duke, forget this scrub and come dance with me." the girl's tone dripped with sexuality as she pulled him towards the flashing tile dance floor. Duke had no time to say yes or no but gladly took the invitation to escape from the leech.

Meanwhile, Yugi had found himself awkwardly compacted into a corner. He glanced over the crowds looking for his friend while quietly sipping a soda. Felt a little silly to drink a nonalcoholic drink at a party like this, but Yugi decided it was best to remain sober while in the company of strangers. Well, more 'one-sided-strangers'. While Yugi didn't recognize a single face in the dark room, everyone knew him. Inbetween the pulsating music and drunk yelling, he could lightly hear giggling and mumbling in his general direction. He could feel the occasional pair of eyes on him, scanning him up and down. It was almost like Yugi was an item on exhibit at a museum. Looking and commenting, but can't touch. Surely, no one expected the 'King of Games' to be such an introvert. _He's nothing like he is on T.V…. _

Juxtapositing Yugi's current situation, Duke was enjoying himself greatly. Having a hot girl grind on you will do that. He faintly remembers engaging in conversations with her a few hours prior, strangely enough, what they talked about had mostly escaped his memory. Duke faintly remembered commenting about the table the girl started taking shots at. He predicted the table was manufactured with polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA. The table might have been actually made of acrylic, but that didn't stop him from going on a tangent about dice manufacturing. He remembers the girl, as well as a few other people who were with them at the table, looked at Duke with cocked eyebrows and blank stares when the term 'polymethyl methacrylate' left his mouth. He soon followed it up with; "PMMA, its what they usually use to make dice." That's all he could recall. Now, here he was, slightly tipsy and dancing with a girl whose name he couldn't seem to remember. It felt awkward to yell over the blasting EDM, but at the same time, they just started dancing a few minutes ago so it's not like they could leave again. The girl was certainly enjoying herself, she wayed her hips in sync with the pulse of the sound. Her arms snaked like cobras around his neck as a smirk graced her glossed lips. Duke knew what she was trying to do, '_how did I let it go this far?'_ he questioned himself. Back in high school, the most girls would do is hand-deliver their confessions in small white envelopes sealed with cute petite heart stickers before running away bashfully. But things are different now. Now his playful teasing had consequences, _consequences he didn't know how to deal with._

After a few moments later, her seductive smirk had grown into a devilish grin, she was winding up for an attack. A manicured hand had slid up his back and was now threading its fingers through his loose raven locks. Duke tried his hardest to conceal his panic as she moved in closer. Oh god, he wasn't ready for this. He knew her next actions were going to lead to so many expectations, expectations he couldn't live up to. He was about to crumble on the spot from the weight of her predetermined notions of him. Maybe this was his punishment for playing with fire. He wasn't ready for her idea of him, she didn't know him, she knew _of him_ but not _him_. All she saw in him was a young, sexy creator. She had pictured the perfect playboy in her mind; fit, suave, playful, and a god in the bedroom. How wrong she was. She couldn't begin to fathom the reasons and justifications behind his evergrowing anxiety. She couldn't see what was under that smirk that acted as a long-held disguise.

Duke had to get out of there, now. The walls were closing in on him, escape was nowhere to be found. The situation looked hopeless for him. His eyes darted frantically around the room for some kind of lifeline. When out of the corner of his eye, he found it. Thank God, he found it. That hair cut was unmistakable, his once again savior was near-by. Without wasting a second, he hastily pried her arms off his body. "Sorry, gotta run. Talk soon!" He rushed out with all the sympathy and material of a dirt-cheap get well soon card.

Duke made a b-line for his friend, leaving the girl in the dust, confused and slightly irritated. "Hey, Yugi, what's up?" He greeted his companion, trying his best to stifle his panic.

"Oh, hey Duke, I was just about to text you to say I was heading home." It only took Yugi a few moments to realize Duke's frazzled state. "You look a little pale, you alright?" He added.

"You heading out? Sweet I'll go with you." Duke answered, ignoring Yugi's other's question.

"You don't have to! I can walk home by myself." Yugi sputtered, flashing an awkward smile.

"Nono, don't worry about it. It's dark out, it be safer for both of us."

"Well, If you insist." Yugi sighed before giving his classic heartwarming smile.

"Why'd you wanna leave? You looked like you were having fun." Yugi gave a smile chuckle.

Duke looked embarrassed, sitting across from his friend in the cold plastic seats of Burger World. "It's hard to explain…" He muttered, covering his mouth with the palm of his hand.

The pair were silent for a brief moment. Florescent lights shined overhead, the latest music played at a muffled low volume over hidden speakers. Tension built up with every passing second as Yugi contemplated what he was about to say next.

"Did it happen again?" The question stung the raven-haired young man.

He nodded lightly as an answer, Yugi let out a sympathetic sigh.

"I'm sorry Duke." Yugi muttered, hoping his words could give some kind of condolence.

"I…" Duke started before stopping himself. "I just wish it-"

"Didn't have to be like this?" Yugi completed his fragment, Duke nodded in agreement.

"Me too…"

Duke sighed "Guess it's my own fault…"

"Don't say that! You're not a bad person for feeling uncomfortable."

"It's not just that...You know why I do it…"

Silence was placed between them. Yugi was right, he did know why Duke was such a flirt but why he was so scared of intimacy. He was so many years ago, back in high school. It feels like it happened yesterday, or at least that's how vividly he can remember it.

"Anyway, sorry for making things so depressing." Duke tried to lighten the mood with a light chuckle.

"Hey, don't sweat it! I'm always here for you Duke." Yugi returned a smile.

"Thanks Yugi...You're a good friend."

"So are you Duke, You're the one who invited me to the party."

"Actually, I'm sorry I dragged you there. I keep forgetting its not your kind of scene."

"No don't worry about it, I don't mind doing something outside my comfort zone every once in a while."

"Still, I want to make sure you're not miserable."

"Hey, I'm not going to complain about free drinks."

"Drinks? You seem sober though."

"I meant like soda drinks." He giggled.

"Oh." He returned a light laugh.

"Hey, next time you should come over and we could play a game." Yugi added, "Dungeon Dice Monsters maybe?"

"Oh is that a challenge I hear?"

"Well, I'm not opposed to a rematch."

"Alright, Yugi, you're on."

"I expect a fair fight this time around."

"Pssh, I was going easy on you."

"Oh, you were going easy on a cheater?"

"Ah, you got me there." The two laughed playfully like dorks.


End file.
